It’s time to make the hard calls and nominate your pick for Sportstar of the Year, Young Sportstar of the Year, Team of the Year, Manager of the Year and Magic Moment … in association with The Croke Park Hotel
Around him the galleries, which had grown to empathise with his too-often traumatic pursuit of a green jacket and by consequence, golf’s Major Grand Slam, were in ecstasy.
As his white Nike ball disappeared, McIlroy fell to his knees and buried his head in the same short cut that had, less than half-an-hour earlier, betrayed him when a putt to win the elusive US Masters in regulation slipped by, forcing a play-off with Justin Rose that he ultimately closed out with that birdie.
Rory McIlroy on the 18th green after winning his Masters play-off. Photo: Kyle Terada/Imagn Images via Sportsfile
Not everyone will be drawn to golf and McIlroy. But most will feel magnetism to the swaying fortunes of the Irish soccer team.
If ever proof was needed that they are this country’s most galvanising sporting product, the reaction to Troy Parrott’s third goal in Budapest, his fifth in a week like no other, crystallised it. From bars and airport lounges to even GAA games, the cheers rose in unison to salute the Dubliner’s winner.
A hat-trick away from home to sink Hungary and keep Irish World Cup qualification hopes alive. It bears repeating. And coming just three days after his two goals to beat Portugal in Dublin, Parrott has indelibly written his name into the Irish sporting psyche as a byword for heroic persistence.
It may be that 2026 summer qualification will fall short. But from where they were after their away loss to Armenia in September, it was some rebound off the canvas.
Ireland players, including Troy Parrott (centre) celebrate after the World Cup qualifier win over Hungary in Budapest. Photo: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Rebounding off the canvas comes naturally to McIlroy. For all his vulnerability in those clutch moments, there is incredible steel too that manifested so often on that final day in Augusta.
He had been having quite the season up to that point – Dubai, Pebble Beach and the Players Championship.
On Masters Sunday morning he was two clear, and by the turn he was in firm command. It couldn’t go wrong this time, could it? Four dropped shots in five holes later, calamity threatened on a different scale.
Recovery came through a bending seven-iron from beneath the trees on the 15th fairway to within six feet, maybe his greatest shot under the greatest pressure he was under. The putt for an eagle was missed but the momentum was back, his signature moment to wash doubts away.
The green jacket wasn’t a catalyst for the rest of McIlroy’s season but a second Irish Open won in a K Club play-off, a European win at a raucous Ryder Cup in New York, where Shane Lowry downed the putt for a half to ensure retention, and a seventh Race to Dubai title capped quite a year.
It’s been an outstanding year for Kate O’Connor. Photo: Sportsfile
Irish athletics continues to prosper in ways unimaginable just a decade ago, and Kate O’Connor’s presence on the podium for a World Championship heptathlon medal presentation sharply illustrated that progression.
Her second place and silver over the seven disciplines culminated in a gutsy 800m finish after a knee injury flared up beforehand.
But Dundalk’s O’Connor was undeterred and after a European pentathlon bronze in March, Los Angeles is in her sights.
There were other break-outs. Ben Healy had Ireland’s first Tour De France stage win since 1987 and finished ninth overall. The O’Rourke sisters, Aoife and Lisa, boxed their way to IBA Women’s World Championship silver medals, the first siblings to do so, before Aoife added gold at the World Championships in September.
And of course the usual suspects delivered their regular quota of titles and record-breaking feats.
Katie Taylor’s career is paused for now but in New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden in July, she settled all arguments with Amanda Serrano, a third win over the Puerto Rican and the most comprehensive to retain her undisputed super-lightweight title.
Patrick Mullins on Nick Rockett following their Aintree Grand National win. Photo: Sportsfile
On the turf, the twin kings of Irish racing exerted more global dominance.
There are compelling arguments now to enshrine Aidan O’Brien and Willie Mullins as the two greatest horsemen the sport has known.
For the second successive year they were both British champion trainers – from their bases in Ireland!
Mullins trained a third Grand National winner, Nick Rockett, in April and with son Patrick on board emotionally declared it his greatest moment, topped off by saddling five of the first seven home.
When Ethical Diamond, his first runner at the stellar meeting, stormed home to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf around Del Mar last month, he declared it his second greatest achievement.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien with Ryan Moore after winning the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on Lambourn at the Curragh. Photo: Sportsfile
By then, O’Brien had already eclipsed D Wayne Lukas as the most successful Breeders’ Cup trainer when Gstaad took the juvenile turf, bringing him to 21 wins. That he had captured an 11th Derby win at Epsom with Lambourn in June barely seems to register.
As with Mullins, there’s a tendency to take their craft for granted, powerful stables, backed by rich benefactors, yielding inevitable outcomes.
But that ignores how their timing and intuition is almost always right. There’s just never a dip.
Not to be outdone, Pádraig Harrington won a second US Senior Open, Katie McCabe contributed to Arsenal’s second women’s Champions League title, and Irish rowers swept to two gold medals at the September World Championships in Shanghai. Mags Cremen and Fintan McCarthy paired together for the mixed double sculls with Fiona Murtagh the dominant women’s single sculler.
David Clifford celebrates a late Kerry goal during the All-Ireland SFC final win over Donegal. Photo: Sportsfile
On the domestic front, new rules swept across the Gaelic football landscape and brought liberty to an ailing game. It seemed perfectly tailored for David Clifford to exploit – which he did, directing Kerry to a 39th All-Ireland title.
Clifford was majestic, landing a symmetrical 8-12-24 in the championship for a third Footballer of the Year award in four years. The greatest? Like Mullins and O’Brien, that argument is pushing beyond the bounds of discussion at this stage.
For transformation, what Tipperary did in 2025 was spectacular. Led by a resurgent John McGrath, who scored 7-16 over the championship season, they got their timing right to escape Munster and then take out Galway and Kilkenny before a quite dramatic All-Ireland final second half against Cork, who were confined to just two points.
John McGrath of Tipperary lifts the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Photo: Sportsfile
Dublin were back as All-Ireland ladies football champions and Hannah Tyrrell bade farewell while Galway showed grit to land the All-Ireland camogie title, beating Cork in the final.
Domestic soccer belonged to Shamrock Rovers, who claimed a league and cup double for the first time since 1987.
For Irish rugby, 2025 felt like a regressive year. Granted, Hugo Keenan got over the Australian line for a second Test success and ultimately Lions’ series-winning try in Melbourne in July.
POLL: Name your Sportstar of the Year for 2025
POLL: Who is your Young Sportstar of the Year for 2025?
POLL: Name your Team of the Year for 2025
POLL: Who is your Manager of the Year for 2025?
POLL: Name your Magic Moment of the sporting year for 2025
But Ireland’s performances last month didn’t inspire and a third-place finish was about right in the Six Nations.
The year was McIlroy’s though, as he assumed golfing immortality. Sarazen, Hogan, Player, Nicklaus, Woods and now the 36-year-old from Holywood in Down taking his place in that celebrated pantheon.